2017-2018

Hey-ho-ho-ho

A long overdue up-date… aren’t they all. I hope this finds everybody reading this in fine form and leaning in to the holiday season be it Hanukkah (already past), Christmas, Winter Solstice (today) Kwanza and whatever else I’ve missed. It’s a soggy run up to Christmas here in Nashville, grey and rainy for the last week. As I peck this out we’re expecting 3-6 inches of rain tonight. I’ve cleared a couple of clog prone downspouts, put the portable sump pump in place down the basement which is likely to take on a bit of water with that much rain at one time. Nothing left to do but peck this note out and let it pour.

Neil Diamond’s 50th Anniversary tour wrapped up the year in London with two shows at the O2 Arena the end of October. We’re off now until March when we embark on a five week tour of New Zealand and Australia. No idea if there will be any more beyond that but I’m looking forward to being with those guys again as well as seeing that part of the world once more.

After returning to Nashville and following a couple of weeks with my feet up, I dove headlong back in to my on-going record. For the most part of this year it’s been on the back burner due to being busy with Neil. But the time away from it was good as I’ve been writing throughout the tour and had another stack of tunes to record and throw onto the pile already in the can. The new things have made it a stronger record and I’m pleased to say I’m a day or two away from having the whole thing completed and I’m very happy with it all. That said, it will more than likely not come out until late summer or autumn of 2018. I’ll keep you posted when it’s going to be released. Spoiler alert: my old pal Spooner Oldham played B-3 on several tunes and the great Charlie McCoy played vibes as well. Neither disappointed. How could they?

I’ve really been enjoying a new CD from Eric Brace called Cartes Postales, an album of French chanson sung in French and done up in style with the fabulous Rory Hoffman playing guitar. It just the thing with cocktails or anything else. It’s on Red Beet Records. Check it out at: redbeetrecords.com

I’m heading to London early in the new year to do some recording. February finds me back here in Nashville and in the studio with my friend Phil Lee then it’s out to Los Angeles for a week of brush-up rehearsals with Neil followed by the tour down under. I don’t know what I did to end up with such a lucky life but I thank my lucky stars every day for it.

Our Christmas table will have the family around it and our traditional non-trad dinner of Navajo Tacos with chilli verde. The Bennett clan has much to be grateful for.

Here’s wishing you a warm and peaceful holiday and everything good this coming year.